House bill will slow economic recovery

I’m afraid the General Assembly is about to reset the clock on Kentucky’s economic recovery.

The Kentucky House has already passed a bill putting a three-year hold on a provision that allows businesses to deduct net operating losses over 20 years. The bill is now before the Senate.

Under the bill, if a small business that lost money in previous years has credit to carry over and is profitable, it will owe income tax on that profit.

It also would require businesses that collect more than $30,000 a month in sales tax to send the revenue to the state a lot sooner.

House Bill 530 amounts to a tax increase on Kentucky’s small, family businesses, and we can’t afford that. If this legislation passes the Senate and is signed into law, it would take money from struggling small businesses and slow Kentucky’s economic recovery.

Small businesses don’t make big profits even in the best of times, and these aren’t the best of times. I know small business owners who haven’t taken a salary in over two years. I know small business owners who have let their employees decide whether to take pay cuts or cut jobs. I know small business owners who have downsized their own children in order to cut costs and keep the doors open.

You can’t tax your way to prosperity. If we’re going to rebuild Kentucky’s economy, we need to make it easier for small businesses to grow and create jobs.

House Bill 530 would make things worse, not better.

Tom Underwood, state director, National Federation of Independent Businesses/Kentucky, Frankfort



City is wasting too much money

I noticed with interest a city police department vehicle that I was following on Carter Avenue a few weeks ago. The officer driving was obviously proud as he accelerated constantly — “goosed” if you will — to feel the rush of power from the big engine.

He obviously was proud to be driving such an extravagant vehicle: A new Big Horn edition Dodge pick up truck with all the bells and whistles from the fancy paint job to the aluminum wheels.

It certainly seems inappropriate for the city police department to be spending our tax money on such an unnecessary and extravagant vehicle as this when so many in the city are unemployed and struggling to put food on the table.

It also seems to me that the department’s fancy headquarters that is almost completed, as well as these vehicles mentioned earlier, spells too much money. Perhaps the budget should be trimmed and our taxes reduced.

Add to the expensive city manager’s vehicle, $2 million dollar restrooms, air conditioned utility department trucks, and other things simply spells “waste”. Perhaps the $12 million payroll tax, which is four times the projected amount, and the city taxes are way too high.

I am proud of our progressive city but deplore excess. I also think it is inappropriate that the city manager would promote an apartment complex in the city for an out-of-town developer with a very poor track record that area residents were very opposed to. I wonder if he knows who pays his salary?

Mark Conley , Ashland



Keep miscarriages legal in Kentucky

It is time to legalize miscarriages in Utah. House Bill 12 was introduced into Utah’s latest legislation cycle. It started as an attack on what Utah calls “illegal abortions” which includes partial birth abortions or abortions not performed by a physician. Now it is stretching to considering even miscarriages criminal homicide.

The law passed in Utah’s House of Representatives with votes 59-12 and in the State’s Senate with 24-4. The inclusion of miscarriages is being ignored and unanalyzed because the legislature’s opinions on abortion are so strong.

The law states that any woman who participates in “knowing” or “reckless” behavior could spend up to life in prison. So, what is “knowing” or “reckless” behavior? Well, that is the vague term for the courts to decide. This could get dangerous and ugly with language that is so open to interpretation.

This law goes beyond the rightness or wrongness of abortion. This law could put any woman who has a miscarriage behind bars. Every woman who has a miscarriage will now be burdened with proving their miscarriage was an accidental and unintentional. I can’t even imagine how you would prove that or how it would escape being a their-word-against-hers type of case.

This anti-miscarriage law is already stirring in the minds of legislators in Iowa. I understand that what I am writing about does not pertain to Kentucky, but I fear that it soon will spread to this State. As a conservative, religious state I feel like this is something Kentucky politicians and pro-life activists will push for. I ask Kentuckians not to let its legislators’ minds be clouded with their views on abortion should this indistinct bill head Southeast.

Michelle L. Fiore, Morehead

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Hammond backed for Boyd coroner

I’m the current Boyd County coroner and have a recemmendation on who should be my successor. I know what qualities, dedication and commitment that it not only takes to do this job, but also the attributes a candidate must have to do the job well.

Mark Hammond is my choice for the next Boyd County coroner because he knows how to run the office now and has the experience to make the transition seamless.

Mark Hammond serves as my chief deputy and has done an outstanding job. His dedication and commitment to this community are second to none amd his work ethic makes him someone you can rely on to get the job done right.

Soon after I was elected, I looked for quality people who not only would help the coroner’s office succeed but also help Boyd County citizens during one of the hardest times in their lives.

Mark Hammond was one of the first people to come to mind and he has been an integral part of the numerous improvements that have been made in the coroner’s office over the last three years. As coroner, Mark will continue those improvements while constantly looking for ways to make the office better for the people of Boyd County. I support Mark Hammond’s bid for cornoer because I know he is the right man for the job.

Christopher Stewart, Boyd County corroner